Book Blurb for Perfekt Control

Rule the realms.

Brynn Aksel is a
valkyrie—a battle goddess tasked with protecting both the God of War and the
future of Asgard. She fends off giants and dark elves with an iron fist, a
glossy smile, and no less than perfekt control. She’s focused
one-hundred-percent on rising through the valkyrie ranks, and not at all on her
lifelong crush on Henrik Andersson—the one guy in all the realms who could be
her undoing.

Henrik serves as
War’s other bodyguard, and he’s too focused on protecting their shared charge
to realize that Brynn’s a girl. When an unprecedented surge of darkness abducts
the Goddess of Love, Brynn’s already-steely focus is singularly directed on her
new assignment—accompany Henrik to recover the realms’ source of light before
the cosmos descends into chaos.

While battling
demons, dragons, and the not-quite-dead, it becomes clear that immortality does
not equal invincibility. And when Hel herself puts a hit on Brynn, the valkyrie
has to decide if staying in control is worth losing everything . . . or if it’s
time to rule the realms.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

Before finding
domestic bliss in suburbia, S.T. Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly
fond of Peet’s Coffee) and Europe… where she became overly fond of McVities
cookies. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher
inspired the books of The Elsker Saga and The Ære Saga. She hopes her characters make you smile and that one day, waffles
will be considered a health food.

Find S.T. on
Twitter @stbende, her website (www.stbende.com), or send her an e-mail. While
you're at it, introduce yourself to @UllMyhr and @TyrFredriksen -- when they’re
not saving the cosmos from dark elves, they love meeting new friends . . .
especially the human kind.

Want to connect
with fellow Norse god fans? S.T.'s readers have created a Facebook group! Head
over to the RagnaRockstars page to chat with
other readers, talk with S.T., and get access to exclusive content... including
Ull POVs and sneak peeks at upcoming Ære Saga books!

Book Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Let me tell you this, the story is SO cliche. BUT, for all the hopeless romantics out there, you'll like it as much as I do. I mean I say that a lot don't I? Me loving a book? Well anyways, I love how simple the storyline is. As a reader, I often look for a different genre, or a more complex plot than what this one had, but it is a good refresher. Life is great after all.

I think Kasie West is trying to stick to these type of contemporary, isn't she? The cliche ones? I've also read On the Fence and that's how I feel about it too. Cliche. But I don't mind. Every once in a while you will need a book with less drama and too much adorableness in it. The Distance Between Us is adorable in a way that it's not too sweet, because often times Caymen's character is very much sarcastic and headstrong. And that's what I like best about her character. She's not the typical type of teenager that goes head over heels in front of a rich handsome guy, but rather goes crazy in her mind. I hate those over-the-top girls. And she's a responsible daughter too. Xander on the other hand is such a cutie. He's your typical dream guy. He is rich, handsome, and a gentleman. He's the guy who doesn't care whether you're rich or poor. He's the guy you've been searching all your life (Kidding, that one's a bit over the top xx) Cliche, but sweet. I liked his character but not as much as I did like Caymen's because he is predictable. He never changed from the beginning until the last page. Although I must say, I wouldn't change a thing about this guy because he already started as a good guy in this story, why ruin it? I just hoped that Kasie West had a twist to his character or maybe a better character development. But he's good. He passed. He's definitely swoon-worthy. HAHA.

Oooh, and I remember something. Their pre-sipping of drinks is TOTALLY GOALS! *insert heart emojis* If you don't understand what I'm saying, I think an excerpt would be helpful.

"Monday morning I wave good-bye to my mom and open the front door to the shop. As I walk toward school, I notice a sports car that looks just like Xander’s parked a few doors down. I bend over to look inside, and when I straighten up again Xander is on my opposite side. I jump. He hands me a cup of hot chocolate and takes a sip from his cup.I look at the cup—the same as yesterday’s. “I only want this if you drank out of it first,” I say, refusing to say, “What are you doing here?” That might give away that I care.He grabs the cup from me, takes a drink then hands it back."
See? I adore how Xander doesn't really mind at all especially because he's a guy and guys tend to be weirded out by those things. HAHA. All that pre-sipping rituals are seen throughout the book so I suggest you take a look for yourself!

All in all the ride through this whole book is totally enjoyable. The romance is light, and fun. It'll make you smile unconsciously at times. The family stuff is a bit serious though.

Because the last page was so open ended and I did not really like that. Not all of the conflicts were resolved. But I liked the romance! I liked the characters too.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Yey! So semestral break just came for me, and of course the best way to celebrate is READING! I've already started some books over the months that I haven't posted, but none of them I finished. Soooo, I am probably going to try and finish them all.

The first book, which I am actually about to finish is THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by Kasie West. Hmm. Not much to talk about this one since I will be posting a review after I finish reading it along with ON THE FENCE which is also by Kasie West. I finished On the Fence a long time ago but haven't had the chance to post a review due to hectic schedule. SO now, that I have three weeks free! I will be making it up to you with all those reviews.

I also just finished reading P.S. I Still Love You yesterday. A book I started reading just last Monday. So it was a pretty fast read. I will be posting a review soon as well. But I am telling you, you might want to bring some tissue while reading. You don't want your book to be soaked with tears. Or maybe it's just me. HAHA.

I will also be trying to read a lot more because as it say on my Goodreads account, I am 23 books behind my schedule. Sooo, should I read 23 books this semestral break? Nah kidding. I can't do that. Well, I can if I don't eat or move at all. JUST READ. Here are some of the books that I wanted to read for this break.

On top of my list is Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl. It will be a completely different genre from the book I last read buuuuut, I am a huge fan of Black Widow! Especially when Scarlett Johanson portrayed her role in the Avengers. So, with that said, I am really looking forward to read this gem of a book.

Next is The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz because who doesn't want to read a book from every villain's perspective? Ugh. This is super amazing I bet.

Not sure about these next two books actually, but I wanted to read The 5th Wave and Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey before the movie comes out on 2016. And I am pretty sure that when 2016 comes, I'll be super busy and won't have time to read these two. So I am planning to read them earlier. But like I said, I am not so sure yet.

Now this I've been wanting to read for so long because Regan from Peruse Project loves it! And I think Kat from Katytastic said she did too. So I'm not gonna lie, this is an impulse read. I personally don't know what this trilogy is about but I know that this will be a great read for the upcoming halloween.

Now that is about it for this post. I hope that you guys enjoyed reading, and probably get some ideas on what to read for this month too. Will be posting another one soon. Goodbyiiieeeeeeeeeee!

In this lyrical, absorbing, award-winning novel, nothing is as it seems, and every clue leads to more questions.

At age eleven, Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother. At fourteen, she ran away from boarding school, only to be tracked down and brought back by a mysterious stranger. Now seventeen, Taylor's the reluctant leader of her school's underground community, whose annual territory war with the Townies and visiting Cadets has just begun. This year, though, the Cadets are led by Jonah Griggs, and Taylor can't avoid his intense gaze for long. To make matters worse, Hannah, the one adult Taylor trusts, has disappeared. But if Taylor can piece together the clues Hannah left behind, the truth she uncovers might not just settle her past, but also change her future.

Ugh. I don't even know how to begin.

So I bought Jellicoe Road as a Christmas present for myself last December because it was suggested by a bunch of readers I met on the internet. I often follow their suggestions when picking the books I buy so I gave it a try. I read the book as soon as I open it. As I was a few pages into the book, I was really confused. I don't know from whose perspective I'm reading, and it skips from one story to the other. I kinda placed it on the back of my shelf for months. But last week, I rearranged my shelf and found it again. At that time, I couldn't read anything so I finally got the courage to pick it up once again. Though my feelings about Jellicoe Road was still conflicted, I read it. Without knowing a thing or two about the book. And right now, it was one of the best decisions I made (book wise, of course). I really loved the book so much!

I was totally amazed about how Melina Marchetta weaved the story from the past and present. When you start reading it, you will be confused. Because a a hundred or more pages in the book tells about territory wars and what not. BUT THIS IS NOT ALL! I suggest you still experience the book first hand. Without knowing anything about it. Because if you do, you will be as touched as I am.

Anyhow, this book made me emotional. Not just happy and sad, but also frustrated, annoyed, angry, heartbroken and more. The way Melina wrote it was like listening to a song. It gave you all the feels a book can make. It affects you in an indescribable way. It was lyrical. Beautifully crafted.

The character developments were also great. At first, my view for Taylor Markham and Hannah's character were a bit odd. Like, I can't tell whether who's right or wrong. And also, a big cheers fro Webb, Tate, Fitz, Narnie and Jude who are absolutely one of the best characters. They are really inspiring and realistic. Lastly, who wouldn't love Jonah Griggs? <3 HAHA.

To end this review, I must say that Jellicoe Road is deserving to win a Printz Award. Also, I am positive that I really adore this book to pieces, but I'm not sure if everyone would. I mean, this was labelled as a Young Adult read. But it takes a lot of understanding to love this book. NOT SAYING THAT I AM MATURE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THOUGH. Maybe if you try to put yourself into it, you would definitely fall in love with it.

I recommend this book to EVERYONE, even the very old ones. It is a coming of age and life changing book.

I would give this a hundred stars if I could.

Melina Marchetta was born in Sydney Australia. Her first novel, Looking For Alibrandi was awarded the Children's Book Council of Australia award in 1993 and her second novel, Saving Francesca won the same award in 2004. Looking For Alibrandi was made into a major film in 2000 and won the Australian Film Institute Award for best Film and best adapted screen play, also written by the author. On the Jellicoe Road was released in 2006 and won the WAYRBA voted by teenagers in Western Australia in 2008. It also won the US Printz Medal in 2009 for excellence in YA literature. This was followed up by Finnikin of the Rock in 2008 which won the Aurealis Award for YA fantasy, The Piper's Son in 2010 which was shortlisted for the Qld Premier's Lit Award, NSW Premier's Lit Award, Prime Minister's Literary Awards, CBC awards and longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. Her follow up to Finnikin, Froi of the Exiles will be released in Australia in October and the US in March 2012.

After a narrow escape from the city of Impervious, Fran’s heart aches for the ones she left behind. Will her brother ever connect the dots? And, what about Pete? Could he, along with the remaining Rebels, have survived the Council’s violent oppression?

As Fran ponders the fate of her friends, an even more disturbing revelation drops into her world—the knowledge that she, along with anyone who had lived underground remains implanted with the sinister presence of the Council. A fate rendering her powerless to save.

Yet one with pure blood, untouched by the Council’s defiling, lives among them. Could he be the new lifeline of hope? Is salvation of the city worth risking the life of this one-and-only?

Sequel to

I’m a book-writing, selfie-taking, latte-drinking, social media gal. I’m living a good life on the road as a full-fledged Bedouin (Well, except, my tent is actually a fully-equipped RV.) Me and my partner-in-crime (Benj) tend to hunker down wherever the skies are clear and the temps stay in the 70’s. We call ourselves Gypsy Nerds because we aimlessly wander the U.S. with glasses perched upon our noses and faces jammed into computer screens (for the first half the day... The second half of the day is typically devoted to playing because we’re also somewhat immature.)

Like most authors, the characters I create are my extended family. And like most readers, when the story ends, I get a little sad. In real life, I have two handsome, hardworking, grown-up boys who know how to make their Mama proud! *Waves to Joey and Mike!*

Hey there! Thank you, so much, for
including me on your blog today and getting the word out about IMPLANTED, the
second book in The Ascension Series!

1.) Tell
us about your journey so far in this series.

Well, let’s see. Like many authors, this
series began when a “what if…?” idea sparked in my head, followed immediately
by fast finger action (on the keyboard). After that, came the season of endless
hair-pulling with a lengthy detour (changing of publishers and discernment of
direction.) Finally, after rounding up of the troops (aka, perfect editors and
amazing cover designer), I marched forward. Impervious re-released in the
spring and now *taking large breath and chest puffing with pride* I can finally
move into the “guts” of the story that began with IMPERVIOUS.

2.) Guts
of the story? How so?

Let’s just say, IMPERVIOUS was the loading
of the weapon… IMPLANTED is the pulling of the trigger. (The final book will be
the shot heard ‘round the world.)

3.) Ah-ha!
So this is a trilogy!

Yes. But I let’s not get ahead of the
curve. I’m going to keep the final installment a bit of a mystery for you. What
I can say about IMPLANTED is that it will answer some questions that lingered
with the reader after IMPERVIOUS… yet it might stir up a few more.

4.) Wow!
Can’t wait… So, tell us a little more about the author. We’ve also head that
you are a gypsy-nerd. What does that mean, exactly?

LOL! It means my life is in a constant
state of flux! My husband and I have dedicated this season of our lives to meandering
about the U.S. He’s a software nerd. I’m a book nerd. And for the past ten
months, we’ve been traveling about the contiguous United States in a one-ton
dually (um, nerd-speak for big pick-up truck) towing a very bougie trailer… glamping (aka glamour camping). We spent
most of the winter checking out the corners and crevices of sunny Florida and
right now, as we speak, we’re hunkered down in Hungry Horse, Montana! (Glacier
Park). I guess, much like my character, Fran, you could say I like to think of
myself “off the grid.” (However, I try to maintain good WIFI and cable TV… and,
I’m Accountable.)

5.) Lastly,
two quick personals…

Do
you work in your jammies?

LOL! Well, typically it’s more like shorts
and a tank. But, every now and then, I suppose I’ve been known to keep the
jammies on for the better part of the morning.

INTERVIEWER: “Last time we spoke, you were kind of in a strange season in life.

FRAN: “Mm hm.” Fran runs her fingers through a spring of curls. “I
believe that was back when I was a Rebel.”

INTERVIEWER: “Right. Rebel.” I cock a brow. “So no more Rebel-Fran?”

FRAN: Fran snorts. “Well, I suppose I’ll always be just a bit
rebellious. But, no. Not an official Rebel.”

INTERVIEWER: I nod in agreement. “And how do you like living outdoors?”

FRAN: “In the Open Air?” She corrects me. “Love it. It’s great. I just
wish everyone else could be there with me.”

INTERVIEWER: I crack a coy smile. “Like Pete, maybe?”

FRAN: Fran lets out a long sigh and I’m unsure if I’ve crossed our line
of friendship.“Pete,” she whispers.

INTERVIEWER: “I’m sorry,” I quickly respond. “That’s a painful subject. How
about if we talk about your mom instead?”

FRAN: Fran throws her head back and releases a hearty guffaw.
“Mom.” She shakes her head. “I really
love Mom.” She looks at me and I see a hint of the old Fran sparkle from her
eye.

“She just, such a….”

INTERVIEWER“Mom?” I add.

FRAN: “Exactly.” Fran agrees. “And, really. The best Mom ever, by the
way.”

INTERVIEWER: “I know.” I agree. “I have one of those too.”

Implanted by Heather Letto, Book 2 in the Ascension Series

Suddenly,
another bellow filled the air, causing tiny bumps to rise on Ret’s forearms. He
dumped the bowl and swiped an extra rock from the dirt, tossed it into his
pouch and took off in the direction of Sophie’s wails.

As
he raced along the river’s edge, Sophie launched another battle cry. If she was
this upset, her cubs must be in
danger. Ret broke into a full run, loading his sling as he followed the sound.

But
when he reached the clearing, the cubs appeared safe, wrestling and rolling in
the meadow as usual. Sophie, on the other hand, stood on her hind legs, knee
deep in the river, with the rapids splashing up high on her furry form. Her cry
of distress continued and Ret wondered if she’d been injured.

He
slowed to a walk as he approached, clucking his tongue in a soothing manner.
What had always worked in the past, however, didn’t seem to faze the mother
bear. Once near enough, Ret assessed her from head to toe. No obvious wounds.
She stood upright and strong, and bellowed again, filling the air with thick
vibrations.

Ret’s
gaze whipped along the raging river and a swatch of color caught his eye. Had
someone fallen into the rapids? Ret knew the villagers opted not to enter the
river this time of year claiming his sport of rapid riding to be a bit extreme.
Yet, his gut—and Sophie—told him something wasn’t right.

He
scanned the shoreline with Sophie’s desperate cries as a backdrop. On a nearby
river rock, Ret saw a torn cloth clinging to the rock’s edge. His eyes darted
from one rock to another while searching the foamy islands.

He
saw her hand first. Laying casually on top of a boulder as if she’d simply
stopped for a rest while swimming. Her body, wedged between the boulder and
mass of sharp stones, lifted and dipped as the water passed over and under her
form.

Like
the rushing of the water before him, adrenaline cut through Ret’s veins. He
thrust himself, waist deep, into the freezing water. Before he could even
wonder what had brought Wolf into these dangerous rapids, the current yanked at
his body. He carved a trail to the high boulder, the roar of the river drowning
out Sophie’s wails.

The
torrent labored to hamper his progress, but Ret pushed back. Would the
ferocious waters dislodge Wolf, sending her downriver before he could reach
her? His mind reeled with calculations—percentage of submerged mass in relation
to the speed of the current—as if he could determine the number of remaining
moments before she launched. She bobbed on the water’s surface, and Ret
swallowed back lumpy fear. He reached out and lunged, catching her around the
waist. Relief lasted a short moment, as Ret rolled her over to face the sky.

Her
skin was ashen grey.

Ret
looked back at the shore. Could he maneuver her back in time? He couldn’t risk
losing a precious second. Instead, he hefted her limp body fully onto the
boulder that had served as her temporary refuge. After crawling to her side, he
placed a finger on her carotid artery, and a wave of relief exploded through
him. He felt a feathery pulse—but she wasn’t breathing.

With
a supportive hand beneath her skull, he pulled down on her chin, rolled her
head back, and opened her mouth. Without hesitation, he performed as he had been
taught. He covered her lips with his own, pinched her nose and sent a strong
breath into her lungs. He watched her chest. No movement. He repeated the
process.

No
rise. No fall. He pinched off her nose, covered her mouth with his own and
released another breath before sitting back on his heels.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Hello readers. If you have been following my blog since I started, you might know that I've been constantly inactive in posting book related stuffs. This is because of school and a lot more.

I also got bored because I felt that my blog's design was a total disaster. Soo..to sum it up. I didn't feel like blogging because of the not so nice outcome.

To remove all the disappointments you have in you right now, I am deciding to revamp my blog. I am not sure what will happen after I change my templates. Probably, the comments will be removed. And the look will be simpler as I consider this design I have right now as "overly done". I would also try to figure out this whole "blog designing" thing that I can't quite understand. So yeaaah. I hope you guys will be excited for my comeback as much as I am.

One more thing, I will be uhh, starting from scratch. I will be saving all my posts in my documents. And will be deleting them all. That way, I can also remove the unnecessary pictures that I have included.

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew...

I started
reading Paper Towns, not knowing a single thing about it. Well of course,
except for the main character’s names. I decided to read it because the movie
was coming up, which comes out pretty soon. Who in the world wants to watch an
adaptation without having a single knowledge about it? Definitely not me.
However, I did imagine it to be a romantic one, although the title greatly
suggests that it’s not. But then, who knows? It’s a John Green book anyways.
You know as I type this, I’ve come to realize that MAYBE, just maybe, John
Green is a lot like Margo Roth Spiegelman. He writes his books, plans it
carefully. With all the intricate details, and then just leave it with an
unsatisfying conclusion. Which leads us the READERS wanting more. And then he
writes another one and repeats the same routine. Yeah, it sucks. But it’s a
great experience after all.

OKAY.
Haha. I’m getting way out of my topic here. Did you even realize that you
actually clicked a BOOK REVIEW blog post and not a COMPARE JOHN GREEN AND MARGO
ROTH SPIEGELMAN post? Hahaha. Fooled y’all. Nah. I’m just kidding. Here it
goes.

As
I’ve said earlier, I thought of Paper Towns as a romance novel. What the heck.
I always think that a book with two main characters of opposite gender is a
romance. I’m cheesy like that. BUT, it turns out that Paper Towns delves into a
deeper topic like knowing oneself and knowing others. If you do not know what
this is about:

Paper
Towns is a novel about a senior named Quentin, who’s deeply amazed with the
adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman. They were childhood friends and eventually
drifted apart as they grew older. One night, Margo enters his window and asks
for help, inviting him into an adventure that he once just heard about. After
this unusual event that occurred to Q, he went back to school only to find out
that Margo has been missing AGAIN. He felt bad, thinking that he was now a part
of her adventure since that night. But then he actually is. It is for him to
find out how, when, and where to find the mysterious Margo Roth Spiegelman. And
to eventually find out that there is more about the girl that he loves.

Here’s
the thing. The book, as I can describe it, is very much like MY LIFE. And
probably someone else’s too. There are parts where I get too excited while reading
it, but then there are also parts of the book where I almost want to put the
book in a shredder. HAHA. BUT I don’t do that. Like seriously. It’s a precious
little book. My precious little book.

I can
write about this book for years and not even finish it. But mainly, what I like
about Paper Towns is that it teaches us something. Every John Green book
teaches us something. It tugs the strings of our hearts. All along we’ve been
thinking that we know how the world goes, seeing the cruelty, judgement and
all. Truth is, WE DON’T. We barely know what it is. How it works. We think that
by seeing the negativity and positivity that it brings us, we have already
deciphered it. Well, we’re wrong. We don’t even know the reason behind these
negativities, how it occurs. WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF WHAT THE WORLD IS.

Other
than that, I liked the writing style. It’s hilarious, it’s very teenage-y but
also with that maturity that you can never get out of John Green’s books. I
loved the way he used metaphors in the entire book and how it made Quentin
think deeper and in a fully different view. And also the character development.
Especially Quentin’s and Margo’s. On Quentin’s part though, I kind of knew it
was coming. But then there’s this part where I was also surprised by the
changes. Like, there was a part in the middle where he started accepting that
the idea of the Margo he likes, is different from what Margo really is. I liked
that a lot. As for Margo, I liked her at the end. Which I cannot spoil so I
can’t tell it here. READ IT.